


Sobriquet

by overworkedunderwhelmed



Series: The Nose Knows... [3]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Identity Reveal, LadyNoir - Freeform, Marichat, Post-Partial Reveal, Post-Reveal Pre-Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Sequel that can Stand Alone, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-20
Updated: 2020-06-20
Packaged: 2021-03-03 18:47:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24830290
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/overworkedunderwhelmed/pseuds/overworkedunderwhelmed
Summary: What’s in a nickname?Every thought and feeling and hopeful wish, wrapped around one's heart, tied off with a messy bow, and expressed in one concise little package.Marinette has a fair few nicknames for Adrien, especially now that sheknows.As for her partner, he has plenty more for her, too.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Series: The Nose Knows... [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1249634
Comments: 41
Kudos: 336





	Sobriquet

**Author's Note:**

> This piece is the technical sequel to Scent of a Chat Noir (which is itself the sequel to A Breath of Fresh Air). However, this piece can also stand on it's own.
> 
> I've written this one to celebrate 2000 followers on [Tumblr](https://overworkedunderwhelmed.tumblr.com/).
> 
> Thanks to both Enberlight and Kellarhi for beta reading this one. You're both the best!

“Let’s get this Princess back up to her tower.”

With her magic tapped out, Marinette didn’t hold back, nuzzling ever closer to her partner. 

Even now, she didn’t dare look up at him. She wasn’t sure that her heart could take it. Chat Noir’s subtle scent surrounded her, enveloping her in sheer comfort when the simple thought would have been an absolute impossibility only a few short weeks ago.

The dizzying rush of night air cooled her head against the surreal awareness of being carried in Chat Noir’s arms—in Adrien’s arms—like the _princess_ he had called her, once upon a time. 

Ruefully, she chuckled. _Not_ that he knew who she was… not with his eyes so studiously averted.

For all he knew, he was simply carrying Ladybug closer to home after battle. She needed to get Tikki somewhere safe where she could refuel.

At the start of their partnership, she might have left him after the battle—with only the slightest hesitation—even if she was really worried about him.

But now?

All without really trying—just being himself, through and through—he’d effortlessly stolen every corner of her heart. 

Chat—Adrien—just hadn’t quite realized it yet.

Marinette peered up at him, marveling at his diligent focus. His cheeks were flushed slightly as he noticed her regard, but he just smiled softly and kept looking forward, careful not to look directly at her.

As close as they were right now, that lack of info stretched a cold, gaping chasm between them.

Marinette shivered, rubbing her exposed arm with her one free hand. That was something she was really going to have to fix. And soon.

As soon as she could puzzle out a plan.... 

“Oh,” He breathed, holding her a bit more tightly. “You must be cold...”

The warmth came… far faster than she expected. Although it definitely registered in her cheeks first. Anxiously, Marinette tilted her head against his chest. 

“This is nice, Chaton…" she murmured, knowing he would surely hear it all. 

He pouted slightly, thought there was definitely some amusement in his eyes.. “You shouldn't call me Kitten.”

"What should I call you instead?" She snorted. "A growing cat?"

She could hear the smirk in his voice. “It _would_ be more accurate.

She couldn’t deny it. Instead she stayed quiet, soothed by the gentle rumbling purr as she leaned her head back against his chest.

"Well,” He drawled, rocking them both slightly as he balanced them precariously on the roof’s edge before vaulting across a divide. “Then you should have no issue whenever I call you Bugaboo.”

“Hmm,” she pressed her ear very near to his heart, fascinated by it’s subtle thump-thump, growing ever-so-slightly faster as her fingers drifted up to tap his bell. “Still not a fan.”

“My Lady…” He whined in protest.

“Ah…” She chuckled airily. “Now _that_ one is a classic…”

“Okay.” Chat coughed. The deep pink suffusing his cheeks was no longer a challenge to see, even from this odd angle. “I’ll take that as a plus…”

His eyes fought to stay forward. “That can’t be the only name I can use…”

She smiled softly, gazing out at the increasingly familiar rows of rooftops racing by as he loped and leapt across the divide. Luckily, her Kitty was a very experienced— and dedicated—fighter.

“What about... Marinette?”

The tiniest yelp tripped past her lips. She blanched, her startled muscles involuntarily stiffening beneath his grip. 

Slowly, Marinette's eyes slipped up to glance up at his face. To his unending credit, Chat Noir hadn’t looked down. But that maddening smile had suddenly appeared over his lips, making it clear that it hadn’t just been a clever guess.

Lips parted, she watched as he diligently moved across the final rooftops to gently touch down on her balcony. With painful slowness, he carefully lowered his arms so she could step to the ground.

Marinette nibbled at her lip, peering up at his moonlight widened eyes.. Somehow, it had all ended too soon.

By the halo of fairy lights, she could see that his cheeks darkened, but it was hard to tell when her eyes were irrevocably drawn to his crooked smile. “Here we are, _Princess_.” 

She wrinkled up her nose at that.

“Not a fan?” He grinned happily.

Blushing, she turned on her heels, tips of her ears burning. “I suppose that will do… if you must.”

“I’m glad…”

“But only up here, Chaton… I mean it.” She huffed as she opened her skyline hatch. “The prospect of having to explain that one to Alya terrifies me…”

One claw rose up to his mouth to muffle the laugh that threatened to burble out.

She tilted her head back over her shoulder, wordlessly inviting him in. With that, she turned to climb down the ladder with practiced ease.

As Tikki darted out to the desk to raid their reserve sweet stash, Marinette had finished her downward climb and was already pacing next to her chaise.

The only noise from above was the creak of the aging hinges. 

For one fleeting moment, she was afraid he had headed home, until he pounced down onto the floor beside her like it was a new locker for him to hide behind. 

Honestly, the dodgy things this boy did to her heart. “Ditch the clown costume, Kitty.”

Arching a brow, he snorted ruthlessly. “Really?”

“Well, I have grown rather fond of it.” She smiled playfully, feigning whatever confidence she could to carry her through. “But I want to see _you_.”

Marinette was so sure she had mentally filed away every single smile she had seen him make—with and without the mask. 

The sweetest smile she had ever seen curved his lips as the arching green magic unraveled around him, rising up from his feet. His claws were only just fading as he reached out, holding out his hand to hers, leaning his head in close. "Have you decided to give me a second chance, My Lady?"

Beaming, she took his hand, entwining his fingers between hers and gently squeezing. His eyes dipped down, intently focusing on the space where their hands had met and not the hasty departure of Plagg to Tikki’s stash.

A silly grin snuck out as she laughed, tugging his hand so he could come and sit beside her.

Where she led, he followed—suit or no suit, sitting barely centimetres apart. 

Leaning her head in to rest against his shoulder, she placed her free hand on his arm. “I didn't ever need to, Adrien.”

“Huh?” Wheat grass green eyes widened. Panicked, he wheeled back slightly, only to push forward again, desperate to meet her gaze. To understand her plan. “I’m not sure I understand."

A radiant smile and another reassuring squeeze from her hand was her reply. 

His ever-curious eyes were still cautious and uncertain.

Resolute, Marinette leaned in, bridging the remaining divide as she pressed her forehead to his. 

“As it turns out, I was surprisingly _lucky_ from the start.”


End file.
